As we all feel the pinch of a struggling economy our precious money can be difficult to pry out of our hot little hands. And when it comes to the money we spend on our favorite pastime most birders spend most of our disposable cash of gas. Followed in a close second by optics. So when it came time to make a decision on whether to join a birding related organization the decision has been pretty simple for the past few years. The answer has always been, maybe later when our finances are in better shape (especially with 2 in college).
So which organization to join, which there are several out there willing to separate you from you money? We have the “American Birding Association“, “The American Ornithologists’ Union“, and “The Audubon Society” on a National level, to name a few. Then you have some of the local type organizations which need everyone’s support such as “Black Swamp Bird Observatory” the “Cincinnati Bird Club“, and the “Kentucky Ornithological Society“. However the one I choose was “The Ohio Ornithological Society“.
There’s a couple of reasons why, and the one that convinced me was the network of birders that covers the state, whether it’s through their updates on social media sites like “Birding Ohio” on Facebook, or it’s sponsored field trips, or it’s Annual Conference.
Even though the yearly dues won’t break the bank, I feel I made the right decision in choosing the O.O.S. After a year we’ll re-evaluate how it went and whether I renew or not. I’m hoping for a good experience. So if you’re thinking about joining a birding organization, do a little homework and see what fits for you and your budget. Just like buying a new pair of bins.
A Birder's Notebook 